Driverless car fears

Research reveals 44 per cent of drivers are against the space age
vehicles hitting the nation’s highways. Almost three-quarters fear a
malfunction and a similar amount say they don’t trust a computer to keep other
road-users safe. Over half are anxious the vehicles could be remotely
hacked and 53 per cent worried they are more likely to crash.

Analysis

But despite widespread apprehension, further analysis shows
many can see positives in the introduction of autonomous vehicles. The majority
of motorists believe the driverless car revolution
will be a good excuse to get sociable and chat with fellow passengers. And two
in five reckon they would use the time to catch up with friends or colleagues
on the phone.

Insurance

But, when it comes to insuring a driverless car, over two in
five believe their insurance premiums
could sky-rocket, despite the technology’s potential to eliminate human error.
Simon McCulloch, of comparethemarket.com, commented: “A major point of
concern for motorists is how the arrival of self-driving cars will affect their
insurance policies, which is why we created our newly designed driverless car quote journey. By
seeing how a future policy might work, we hope we can help the debate on what
the future could hold for personal transportation and how this could impact
insurance policies.”

Future-Gazing

Working with Professor Neville Stanton, expert on human
engineering, the comparison site has ‘future-gazed’ to see how completing
a quote might look when buying car insurance in the future. ‘The quote journey’
is designed to help customers better understand the concept of driverless cars,
while also preparing them for when they’re introduced to UK roads.

Comfort-Zone

Professor Stanton, who is Chair of Human Factors Engineering
at the University of Southampton, says: “It naturally takes a while to adjust
to new technologies and advancements that may be a little out of our comfort
zone. We hope the unique quote journey helps customers, as well as provides
some light entertainment and excitement at what’s potentially to come.”

Opinions

The boffin concluded: “Technologies, such as contactless
cards, online shopping, and the introduction of apps, have not always been met
with positivity, so it will be interesting to see how opinions evolve once
driverless cars are out on British roads.”